His work here is tasty, emotive and, at times, downright chilling. More from the Levee is just that stunningly good. King, often come up. At the rate Ronnie Earl & the Broadcasters are keeping up with the times, we can expect to hear great music from them for another thirty years at least. Greg, The four-piece have managed to commit their on-stage vibrancy to record with great success, and whether youre hearing them through headphones or a cranked festival soundsystem, Wille and The Bandits make for fun listening every time. Larkin Poe have developed a slide blues sound that takes classic values forward without falling down intro the retro traps so many others have. In addition to the buoyant title track, stand outs include the inspirational One Thing Every Day and Beys stunningly poignant cover of John Lennons Imagine. The Georgia-born singer may be gone, but the music he left behind will undoubtedly inspire an army of future blues fans. Their fifth studio album, the songs are intense and moody with hints of the Delta. We also learn that the wounds of his upbringing, far from killing his spirit, has fueled it. Photo: Jack Broadbent (Jack Fasano), When Rivers Meet (Rob Blackham, Troy Redfern (Rob Blackham), Elles Bailey (Rob Blackham), UK Blues. Having said all that, Dions friends do a more than capable job of compensating for the weaknesses of the the albums star. [3] . Memphis Loud is not album without flaws. MusicRadar is the number 1 website for music makers of all kinds, be they guitarists, drummers, keyboard players, djs or producers MusicRadar is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. You can only vote once on this list. Le Live de Royal Tea est superieur au cd d Abbey Road . 25 new blues artists you need to hear! British blues groups and artists are shown below along with any additional genres in which their music belongs. event : evt, Vote for the best artists to see them graduate to the top of the list. Perhaps his most endearing quality for his fans is his resistance to change. Song Starter Kit: 12 Gauge from A Savage Life, Blues On The Bay from A Savage Life, Hell For You from Spain to Italy. Review of Live At The Paramount Thanks to frontman Wille Edwards sterling electrified Weissenborn playing and gritty vocals, however, the overall sound always returns to feel good blues rock. After this auspicious start, Johns formidable chops as a guitarist, singer and songwriter were cultivated the hard way: in the trenches of bands, breakups and tours up and down the UK and far beyond. A listen to You Make Me Feel must provoke the listener to ask why he hasnt released more. [38] Here we have a slight interloper in the ranks. These guys are the real thing. A nightmare of a virus may have given us all the blues, but as usual, our favorite genre could be relied on to help ease the pain. The albums closer, Rock and Roll for the soul is just that. King Size Slim We did and love John Nemeths album. Indeed he sounds like he means everything. The legendary Dan Erlewine, luthier Gene Imbody and Berklees Tomo Fujita have shot a 6-point lesson video to help. Thanks to Rock & Blues Muse for including Anthony Gomes among these greats!! Containment Blues features Gomes whiskey soaked vocals, rock swagger, and growling guitar with more of a blues/roots flavor than previous releases. If you're a fan of blues and blues/rock, some of these artists you know well. Yes, Uncle Eric encouraged the young Johns to pick up a guitar and taught him his very first riff, which was Crossroads, of course. Love and Sympathy follows in a similar vein, urging the listener to keep love alive in times of turmoil and distress. He's appeared and recorded with major artists including B.B. The band formed in Dani Wilde, Victoria Smith, Samantha Fish 71 listeners We don't have a wiki here yet. The title track seems to serve as the bands anthem. Theres gusto and redemption on One Shot, with Jackaman channeling anguish and grit into bold, swinging tunes. With a record-breaking number of votes from fans, from the Rock and Blues Muse Group, and our editorial staff, our faith in music fans has been reaffirmed. Joanne Shaw Taylor } Christine Perfect (McVie) Keef Hartley. And he's evolving fast; this year's El Dorado finds him really stretching out into soul and country under the production of Dan Auerbach (opens in new tab). This is the sound that inspired him as a young man and has informed his musical journey from then until now. Kings previous albums and EPs include Carolina Confessions, Due North, The Marcus King Band and Soul Insight. Another home run Martine! Bernard Allison website, Toronto native and #1 Billboard artist, Anthony Gomes is a blues/rock guitarist, singer-songwriter who propels blues/rock into the contemporary music culture. Not that this blues bash ever threatens to slow down. Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Their two core members are the Leto brothers Jared and Shannon, though they've had many personnel changes. But as any fan of the genre knows, a little dust only makes the blues go down better. Among the albums best tracks are the Howling Wolf cover Smokestack Lightening and the surprisingly sensitive Honey Bee, Sail on. For the Bobby Rush fan Rawer than Raw is essential. Since then, his YouTube channel has amassed millions of views, hes shared The Royal Albert Halls stage with Joe Bonamassa and been invited to join the Gibson Alliance a select group of musicians chosen to help shape the future of Gibson Guitars. Tickets will be on sale in the near future at UKBlues Federation. Just make sure they aren't already on the list and check your spelling, because this is already an accurate compilation of the best examples of british blues, as well as a good place to start if you're asking yourself, or friends, exactly how to get into british blues music. England and Wales company registration number 2008885. Adept at acoustic and electric styles, he imparts a natural, unlaboured charm to his guitar playing, and hes been blessed with an innate gift for storytelling that allows him to side-step lyrical cliches at every turn. ); on: function(evt, cb) { Pulling in musicians from all over the world, this record features blues/rock, R&B, and Soul. 1967 - by Colin Cooper, Pete Haycock, Derek Holt, Richard Jones, George Newsome and Arthur Wood. Sugaray Rayford If they're near the top of the best british blues artist list, though, then they should have at least some information available. If 2020 will be forever remembered as the year of a deadly pandemic, it can also be thought of as a year that demonstrated the undying spirit of the blues. Recorded in Memphis by the Idaho born and bred Nemeth, Stronger than Strong engages the listener for all the reasons any great blues album engage the fans. When Rivers Meet website, Expanding on Marcus Kings Southern soul, rock and blues sound, El Dorado is Kings first solo album, produced by Black Keyes guitarist Dan Auerbach, out on Fantasy Records. A five-time Blues Music Award and British Blues Award nominee, Fletcher released My Blues Pathway on Cleopatra Records, his sixth solo album. A toe-tapper that puts Johnsons guitar skills on vivid display with raucous rock and roll that doesnt leave the blues behind. You can click on the british blues band names to see more information about that particular notable british blues group. British husband and wife duo When Rivers Meet have been riding high since they cleaned up at the 2021 UKBlues Awards, taking home four trophies in one night. More surprisingly, the rest of the album sways just as sweetly and gallops just as hard. One of my favorites from this year was One of Those Days by Louisanas LeRoux because it was an album that blues fans and jam band fans could enjoy together. Anthony Gomes website, Britains own blues/rock hurricane King King dropped the bands most evolved record yet this year with Maverick, which was released on Channel 9 Records. Huge mistake to spell his name wrong..Shepherd. Please Help Keep Rock & Blues Muse Alive, Cant You See What Youre Doing To Me (Live) ft. Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Marc Broussards New Single Features Joe Bonamassa Thats What Love Will Make You Do, Review: Feed the Wolf by Miss Velvet and The Blue Wolf. Put it this way, its not easy to listen to King Size Slim without breaking into an unconscious head bob or foot tap at the very least. Theres attitude by the fistful in everything the band has released to date, which is perhaps unsurprising when you consider that the heavily tattooed, Telecaster-wielding Barras is an ex-MMA cage fighter. Review of Wild and Free Review of Uncivil War listeners: [], It features a good man feeling bad and sharing his anguish through both vocals and his harmonica. Over the last few years, Troy Redferns name and his reputation has been preceded by the title, Britains King of Slide Guitar. Its a little unclear as to who originally bestowed him with this prefix, but its safe to say it wouldnt have stuck if he didnt know how to navigate his way around a resonator with a bottleneck quite as well as he does. The album is an impressive accomplishment as well as a wonderful lesson in adapting to the situation at hand. Fans voted in record numbers. Blues Artist of the Year - sponsored by Blues in the South Blues Instrumentalist of the Year - sponsored by Digital Blues 1. on: function(evt, cb) { Both lyrically and musically they vow to keep going and going, providing the listener with ample incentive to keep listening and listening. early 1960s the British had developed a viable national music industry and began to produce adapted forms of American music in Beat music and British blues . And the albums other highlight is the soft, slow Rambling Blues. Much more than a platform of musical skills, this album reminds us how dark, dangerous and reckless the genre can become when done right. Meanwhile the equally rollicking I Thought She Wouldnt Do it adds some funky drums into the mix. And thats very much a good thing. Ryan Perry, I always look forward to your year end list and your recommendations during the year. This is an uplifting and inspirational record that will put your heart back where it needs to be. Despite the pandemic, 2020 brought so many outstanding blues, rock and roots albums. As its title suggests, its a blues album that features a number of stunning cameo performances from noted stars of the blues world. Review of Ice Cream In Hell The year started strong with Joe being joined by a host of talent for his Keeping the Blues Alive at Sea V cruise in February, but when COVID changed the landscape for musicians he rallied for touring players in need from loss of earnings with his Fueling Musicians program. In times like these, its vital to get the occasional reminder of how fun the blues can be. callback: cb The same can be said of the delightfully shuffling Old School.. All Rights Reserved, Top 20 Blues, Rock And Roots Albums of 2020. G Loves sound isnt for everyone, but those who want their blues to go down with a side order of fun would have a hard time finding a better album than The Juice. As admirable as Dions efforts are, his vocals, while pleasant, lack the sheer power needed to give these songs the sheer grit they deserve. Megan and Rebecca Lovell on the endless possibilities of slide guitar and playing 21st-century blues. } An antidote to the overly-polished, overly-produced blues pop that sometimes drifts into the charts but never sticks around for too long, Broadbents vocals are full of natural, gritty charm. Uncivil War would not have been possible by a less time-tested voice. A master of making his instrument whisper and wail, Harley is virtually unmatched in the category of vocal guitar playing. The list is of 2020 albums we have reviewed. This is the voice that couldnt give witness to a lie if Smither wanted it to. Review of Quarantine Blues A stunning solo debut. Martin Harley Toby Lee Romance in the Dark is as erotic and romantic as its title suggests while also containing a slice of bitterness. Released by Provogue Records / Mascot Label Group and produced by Eric Corne, the record brings us Trout playing better guitar than ever and writing songs that are right on target for the year that 2020 has been. They are raw, unpolished and ragged. window.mc4wp = window.mc4wp || { His song writing goes far beyond tried and tested tropes, his licks balance classic vibes with contemporary flair, and his main guitar of choice an Ernie Ball Music Man Eddie Van Halen signature isnt exactly the conventional bluesmans go to. window.mc4wp.listeners.push( Theyd been in Europe on tour but COVID-19 cancelled their gigs. Backing singers include Mahalia Barnes, Jade McRae and Juanita Tippins. Fleetwood Mac. Armed with a loop station, a briefcase full of harps and a bag of slightly homemade looking percussion instruments, Son of Dave is a one-man blues explosion. })(); 2023. The sound of hot valves and Strat single coils that characterised his sound early on is still very much his calling card, and its a reminder to all those starting out on the well-trodden path that cultivating your sound is far more valuable in the long run than reproducing the tones and licks of those who have come before no matter how accurately you might be able to do so. The classic Hellhound on my Trail gets the album off to a rousing start, but things only get richer and more alive from there. More likely, youll be walking down the street, headphones in, and only become alerted to the fact your gaits developed an unusual slink because people have started staring at you. The clever Phone Zombies is as brilliant and funny as the blues can get, while also commenting on the contemporary world in a way that few blues song do. Mike Zito website, Nine-time Blues Music Award winner and three-time Grammy nominee Ruthie Foster puts her big-league vocals into a brass-heavy big band setting on Live At The Paramount. Their latest effort may suggest the outfit has gathered a little dust over the years. Ruthie Foster website, Blues/rock ruler Tinsley Ellis continues his run as one of the most memorable guitarists and vocalists in the game on his new album Ice Cream In Hell on Alligator Records. . The Music is the only one thing that support all of us in these mad times! Songs From The Road shows exactly why certain performances are meant to be captured live and in the moment. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); (function() { St. Louis Mike Zitos Quarantine Blues is that album and has a power that will outlast even the stubborn Coronavirus. And he's there at only 21 years of age. King Size Slim, AKA Toby Barelli, delivers raw, heartfelt, acoustic roots boogie. An emerging talent on the UK circuit, Kyla Broxs blues is tinged with jazz, soul, funk and pop elements. A contemporary exploration of Southern R&B, Country-soul, blues/rock and blues, El Dorado established King as one of the most soulful voices of his generation. Lets just hope some younger fans can give My Blues Pathway a listen and learn the same lesson from him. Eric Patrick Clapton, CBE (born 30 March 1945), is an English rock and blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter. Robert Jon & The Wreck website, Slide guitar magic man Sonny Landreth lays it all on us on his 2020 record Black Top Run, a wonderful set of music released by Provogue/Mascot Label Group. After all, what could be more heartbreaking than a man facing the demise of his car. Happy New year 2021 to Blues and Rock.. Long live the blues and all these new and veterans musicians. Broadbents party trick is playing slide with a beat up hip flask, and it doesnt take too much imagination to figure out which creative stimulant likely played a big part in perfecting that skill. Unemployment Highly Annoyed hints that The 48-year-old guitarist/vocalist isnt a happy man. Rock and Blues Muse, LLC. With three albums under her belt already, theres no doubt that Baileys a gifted songwriter and band leader, but what really sets her apart from the pack is her smoky, soul-infused vocal delivery. Zitos guitar work shines most on the hard-driving Dont Touch Me, but the standout track may be the closing track, What it used to be a soft and poignant ballad at a time when such a thing is desperately needed. So theres 22. Song Starter Kit: Bluesmans Child from Pain & Glory, If You See Him from Throw Away Your Blues, Beautiful Day from Throw Away Your Blues. The vocals and harmonies, performed by these multi-instrumentalist sisters, are a standout. It also doesnt hurt that the bands leader (also its singer and chief songwriter) has the shredding skills that guitarists of all ages would understandably envy. Testament to his heavy hitting blues rock prowess, Barras has also toured Europe alongside Billy Gibbons as the frontman in Supersonic Blues Machine, and the band has opened for the likes of Black Stone Cherry, Beth Hart and Joanne Shaw Taylor. Tackling the legendary works of Jimmy Rogers, Larry Williams and Jimmy Nolan is no easy undertaking, but Grammy nominated vocalist and blues harpist Kim Wilson is up for the task. For your listening convenience, weve also compiled a playlist with every song mentioned in this article, which you can listen to HERE. From seasoned veterans to young breakthrough artists whove used social media to put themselves in front of an audience of millions, to those doing it the old fashioned way in pubs and clubs up and down the country, heres (in no particular order) our list of 15 Great British blues artists to check out right now. A mix of blues originals and covers, and two co-writes with Robert Crays bass player, Richard Cousins, My Blues Pathway features 10 tracks of sumptuous, soulful guitar, smooth vocals and catchy melodies with groove. The Album sizzles most when it charges at full-speed, keeping up with rock and soul, but never leaving the blues behind. forms: { Landreth is perhaps the most identifiable guitarist in American music and routinely melds blues, rock, swamp, and singer-songwriter DNA into one of the few truly original styles in the roots music world. This list is in no particular order. If the title track doesnt send shivers up your spine, its time to have your spine examined. Platypus Dipster may be the albums best track and the strangest. Great list! #141 of 185. Altogether, Stand Up compares with the best work of the late Amy Winehouse. While comparisons to Irelands wild man of the blues, Rory Gallagher, are somewhat inevitable, Martins sound is far from derivative. Guitarist Aaron Bond brings the riffs usually opting for either Gibson Les Paul or a cigar box guitar for slide while Grace takes care of more of the melodic duties on lead vocals, violin and mandolin. Alastair Greene website, Legendary blues/rock veterans, Savoy Brown, released Aint Done Yet on Quarto Valley Records, much to fans delight. Awesome, Fantastic , Fabulous!!! Jared Leto, Thirty Seconds to Mars is an emo-inflected alternative rock group. These artists/bands are in no particular order. Until then, this effort will serve as a solid building block for what may someday become a brilliant career. Released by Blue Corn Music, the record was captured live January 26th, 2019 at the 105-year-old Paramount Theater in Austin, Texas and is an overwhelming mix of Ruthies blues and gospel skills and fully-orchestrated big band arrangements. We Fly Free, released by One Road Records, is their follow up to EP, Innocence of Youth, also released in 2020, When Rivers Meet possess a clear talent for songwriting as well. Led by the illustrious Kim Simmonds on vocals, guitar and harmonica, Savoy Brown began in London 55 years ago and now based in New York. But the musicians who stood out for you still found a way to reach people in the pandemic with standout albums and performances. The 10 best folk albums of 2020 Jake Blount, Shirley Collins and Brna McVittie. He's proof positive of the timeless power the blues possesses in gifted hands his deep soulful vocals as potent with an acoustic as his Strat. My Blues Pathway is a celebration of the blues and blues masters. If theres a finer blues harpist around these days, he or she must be well-hidden. The result is a kind of authenticity that smacks of hard graft and a lifelong love affair with the music. More than anything else, he lets his soul lead the way. Anyone searching for the singers best work should remain in the realm of mainstream pop. Peter Green (1946 - 2020) Peter Allen Greenbaum (29 October 1946 - 25 July 2020), known professionally as Peter Green, was an English blues rock singer-songwriter and guitarist. Songs From The Road is all about killer contemporary blues. JOHN PRIMER & BOB CORRITORE -THE GYPSY WOMAN TOLD ME, VICTOR WAINRIGHT AND THE TRAIN - MEMPHIS LOUD, ELVIN BISHOP & CHARLIE MUSSELWHITE 100 YEARS OF THE BLUES, JOHNSON JEREMIAH - UNEMPLOYED HIGHLY ANNOYED. Good Times, as its title would suggest, pines for days gone by with a wistful, gentle breeze of a sound. As euphoric and full of joy as its title would imply, Iguanas Chicago Spectacular! And weve deliberately chosen not to suffix that with for his age. I cant believe that you left off The Heavy North; an absolutely fantastic British band with a retro sound. But undergirding it all is a floor of blues that somehow holds this glorious mess of an album together. Dions latest venture, Blues with Friends, features yet another change in direction. At just 17 years old, Toby Lee has already packed tonnes into his musical career. But somehow Zitos blues make us feel better. If youre ready to dive into something out of the ordinary, its close to a masterpiece. 399 listeners. Kirk Fletcher website, Powerhouse, soulful vocalist and songwriter Shemekia Copeland released Uncivil War on Alligator Records, a defining entry in her discography. Quarantine blues is about a good world feeling bad. Their notable 2010s albums have been This is War, Love, Lust, Faith and Dreams, and America. The players who transcended 2020's lockdown blues. The best showcases of his talent include the tortured ballad Ill Go Crazy and the foot-stomping Cracked up Over You. Bryants latest release contains more than a few echoes of old-school R&B and that is not a bad thing at least not in Bryants capable hands. Sometimes, having friends in the right places helps a great deal. Rhode Island isnt typically thought of a hotbed of the blues, but the strong presence of Roomful of Blues, a revival jazz/blues band plants a giant feather in the cap of Americas tiniest state. Kyla Brox If nothing else, Roomful serves as an undeniable reminder of how the blues can sound with a solidly skilled horn section. Heres how it works. Review of Last Light On The Highway } Apple Pie and a .45 is the most riveting track, detailing the nightmarish recent tale of a madman who opened fire on a black church. We might be preaching to the converted here, but shes one hell of a blues rock powerhouse.She learned her craft playing at pubs and clubs in the West Midlands before she was even old enough to order a cold pint after her set. Song Starter Kit: Dead Horses from Death Valley Paradise, Hail Mary from The Divine and The Dirty, Ignite (Light It Up) from Light it Up. Many people consider King King to be the strongest blues/rock band out there these days and Maverick proves the band is worthy of such profound praise. Joe Bonamassa Classic guest lesson: Joe Bonamassa (Image credit: Future) Joe shares some of his finest blues licks Joe is always high in this list every year - he's the biggest blues guitarist in the world, but also the hardest working. Great list! This R&B nine piece band won the Best Live Band at the San Diego Music Awards in 2020. Have you lost your Mind contains elements of rock, funk, hip-hop and jazz. English blues band, Savoy Brown has been proving this belief wrong since the mid-sixties. Tinsley Ellis website, Released on KTBA Records (Joe Bonamassas record label) Blues with Friends by Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Dion, features blues/roots contemporary artists Jeff Beck, Billy Gibbons, Joe Bonamassa, Samantha Fish John Hammond Jr., Sonny Landreth Jerry and Jimmy Vivino, Joe Louis Walker, Brian Setzer, Stevie Van Zandt, Bruce Springsteen, and more. Website Press here to watch video The Black Moods Based in Arizona, the band delivers a modern interpretation of rock and roll, a timeless sound of electric guitars, anthemic hooks and percussive stomp. That brings us to his latest offering Thats What I Heard. Pearl Jam. In other words they know exactly where the blues lives. Through All My Dues are Paid we learn of Beys humble and hurtful beginnings as a poor and black young man raised in the Jim Crow south. 40 years in the blues business have only made Ellis better and more eloquent, which rocks because he obviously still has a lot to say. To anyone concerned with the current state of the blues, Whitney Shays latest release Stand Up could have been delivered with you in mind. Captured live at a packed music club in Germany, this live set is a raw and real set of blues mixed with rock, R&B, jazz and funk from Allisons collection since he began his solo career in the 1990s. Pair this with his undeniable on-stage charisma and its a winning combination. Review of One Shot Bath Congratulations to all of these fine rocking blues musicians! We'll put money on next year being an even bigger one. If you know enough about the genre, please vote based on the quality of the band's music instead of just voting for the most popular british blues bands that you might've heard of, but not really listened to closely enough to cast an informed vote. It proves that, even when steeped in a century of tradition, the blues is as fresh as this mornings snow fall. Think of her as a softer, more intimate Etta James. It looks like Gibson is going to start selling vintage guitars including a '59 Les Paul Burst, Damon Albarn reveals that the beat from one of Gorillaz best-loved songs was an Omnichord loop preset, "We are changing vintage guitar collecting forever": Gibson officially launches Certified Vintage program, Deadmau5 delivers his verdict on AI music production: Its scary in the sense of how stupid music already is anyway, Antares unveils an Auto-Tune Vocal Compressor plugin that uses machine learning to choose optimum settings, Confused about setting up your guitar?